Adhesive applying means



p 5, 1944. J. M. BROWN 2,357,577

ADHESIVE APPLYING MEANS Original Filed 'Aug. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JOHN M. 5590 WA/ Sept. 5, 1944. BRQWN V 2,357,577

ADHESIVE APPLYING MEANS Original Filed Agg. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN M. Bean N A T TOR/V5 Y Patented Sept. 5, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADHESIVE APPLYING MEANS Original application August 22, 1938, Serial No. 226,011. Divided and this application March 27, 1940, Serial No. 326,142

13 Claims.

The invention relates to adhesive applying means and more particularly to means for applying adhesive to labels and other elements, as embodied in machines for applying the adhesively coated labels or other elements to the articles for which they are designed. The object of the invention is to provide an adhesive applying means of novel and simple construction whereby the adhesive is applied to the labels or other elements in an efilcient and uniform manner. The invention contemplates further the provision of means of the indicated type whereby the label or other element-is automatically arranged in the most advantageous position to receive an application of adhesive and whereby objectionable creasing or folding of the adhesive receiving surface of the label or other element is positively avoided. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

This application is a division of another application flied by me in the United States Patent Office on August 22, 1938, Serial No. 226,011.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a labeling machine with the novel adhesive applying means embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of said machine illustrating the adhesive applying means; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of parts associated with said adhesive applying means.

The labeling machine comprises a suitable frame III on which a label holder ll of suitable type is mounted in any convenient manner for containing a supply stack of labels l2 or their equivalent, provision being made in any well known way for periodically raising the stack to restore the upper end thereof to a predetermined level; the label holder II is located in the machine at what may be termed the label pick-up station thereof. A support l3 for the containers or other articles to be labeled is mounted on the frame ID at the label applying station of the machine, preferably so as to be vertically adjustable in order to properly position articles of varying dimensions in label receiving position.

As shown in the drawings, the novel adhesive applying means includes a plate It secured at one edge to a cross member of the frame l0, and having its opposite edge bent upwardly to provide a supporting element IS. The latter has a pair of inwardly turned ears l6 provided with notches ll within which are supported the ends of a rod l8 carrying a plurality of thin sheet-like elements or plates l9 preferably spaced apart by washers located between said elements IS. The horizontal flat portion of the plate M constitutes a support for an adhesive container 20 of suitable dimensions and type.

A shaft 2| has it one end supported by a stationary plate 22, and lies in a notch 23 thereof so as to be easily removable at will. The opposite end of the shaft 2| is supported in a stationary notched plate 24, and is removably held in place by means of a pivoted catch 25, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Mounted upon the shaft 2| to rotate therewith is an applicator 26 provided with a plurality of concave or inwardly directed adhesive applying surfaces each arranged to assume a periodically stationary applying position during an operative period of the machine. In its illustrated form the applicator 26 consists of a plurality of spaced plates arranged vertically and held apart by washer elements 21. At least the edges of the plates comprising the applicator 26 preferably are rather thin, the configuration of said plates to provide the concave or inwardly directed adhesive applying surfaces being clearly shown in Fig. 1. In the specific form illustrated the plurality of said plates provide four concave label contact surfaces upon which the labels are deposited as each concave face is brought to its upper adhesive applying position. The plates comprising the applicator 26 are adapted to lie or extend between the sheet-like elements or plates l9 carried by the rod l8, and the adhesive container 20 is positioned relative to the applicator 26 so that the latter or specifically the lower portion of each applicator plate will lie in and pass through the liquid adhesive in said container 2|]. In Fig. 1 with the applicator and its shaft 2| rotating in a counterclockwise direction, the adhesive applying surfaces or specifically those portions of the applicator plates which have been immersed in the adhesive will pass between the stationary plates IS, the latter acting as wipers to remove most of the adhesive from between the applicator ing is more uniform than if the applicator plates had their corners extending above the uppermost corners of the wiper plates I9.

In Figs. 2 and 3 a wheel 28 is secured on the end of a power shaft 29, said wheel 28 being manually actuated by means of a crank 39, it being understood that said wheel 28 may be power driven if desired. A pin 3| extends from the face of the wheel 28 toward the machine, and as the wheel 28 is rotated is adapted to pass or slip into one of the slots 32 in a substantially rectangular plate 33. The latter is secured to the applicator shaft 2I to provide intermittent or step by step operation of said shaft 2I. The wheel 28, pin 3| and slotted plate 33 are constructed along the lines of the well-known Geneva movement. This provides for 90 movement of the applicator shaft 2I with each revolution of the power shaft 29 and power wheel 28.

In Figs. 3 and 4 it will be noted that the applicator shaft 2| has a block 34 secured thereon, said block 34 being four sided with its corners rounded or bevelled as desired. A relatively strong fiat spring 35 is secured to one of the side members of the frame l9 and is'adapted to bear against successive faces of the block 34 so that the Geneva gear plate 33 will always be stopped in proper position for the pin 3| to slip into one of the slots 32 thereof. Not only does the spring 35 keep the Geneva movement in proper position, but it also acts to hold the applicator plates or th adhesive applying surfaces of said applicator in proper position for receiving a label. The applicator 26 and its shaft 2| as well as the wiper element are made easily removable so that after a labeling operation, that is an operative period of the machine, has been completed, the applicator and wiper may be easily detached to permit them to be cleaned. Cleaning of the applicator and wiper is important if the machine is to be left standing for any length of time to prevent adhesive from hardening between the plates.

In the operation of the machine the labels I2 are transferred from the label pick-up station to the label applying station and during such transfer receive an application of adhesive from the applicator 26. In the illustrated example, the labels I2 are transferred by means of a picker mechanism in steps from the pick-up station to the applicator 26 and from the latter to the articles at the label applying station.

The picker mechanism, as shown, includes a tubular member 36, on end of which is closed and secured by a hinge 31 to a rocking support 38 which itself is pivotally connected, as by a hinge 39 to a cross member of the frame II]. The other end of the member 36 is open and bent downwardly at substantially right angles as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and has a rubber or otherwise flexibl picker cup 40 secured thereto. A branch tube 4I extends downwardly from the member 36 a distance equal to that of the bent end of said member 36. and is provided with a picker cup 42 similar to the picker cup 40. Rearwardly of the picker cup 42, a hose 43 is connected with the tubular member 36 and establishes communication between the latter and the upper end of a cylinder 44 as illustrated in Fig. 2. A piston rod 45 extends into the bottom of the cylinder 44 and carries a piston which is adapted to reciprocate therein to provide a suction pump, said cylinder 44 being closed to the atmosphere and having communication only with the hose 43. The outer end of the piston rod 45 is pivotally secured at 46 to a lever 41 which extends upwardly therefrom and is pivotally connected at 48 to a cross member of the frame II) as shown in Fig. 2. Intermediate the ends of the lever 41 is mounted a roller 49 adapted to ride against the edge of a cam 50 mounted for rotation with the power shaft 29. A spring 5| is connected between the outer end of the piston rod 45 and a suitable portion of the frame II] to normally urge the piston rod 45 upwardly in the cylinder 44 and to hold the roller 49 against the cam 50.

The forward or left hand portion of the tubular member 36 is in swivelled connection at 52 with one end of a crank arm 53, the other end of which is secured upon a shaft 54 which also carries a gear 55. The latter meshes with a gear segment 56 journalled at 51 and connected by means of a lever 58 with a small crank arm 59 mounted on the power shaft 29 for rotation therewith.

A presser member 60 preferably comprising a resilient pad may be provided for pressing the labels into adhesive engagement with the articles on the support I3. said presser member 69 being shifted from an inoperative to an operative position and into pressure developing engagement with the labels on said articles by any suitable mechanism such as disclosed for instance in the parent application Serial No. 226,011.

In practice, a supply of adhesive is placed in the container 29 and a stack of labels I2 is placed in the label holder II. At the beginning of an operative period of the machine, one label I2 is placed by hand in proper position upon that adhesive applying surface of the adhesive applicator 26 which is in the applying position at the time. As the power shaft 29 is rotated to operate the machine, the picker cup 40 will be shifted into engagement with the label I2 on the applicator 26 and at the same time the picker cup 42 will be brought into surface contact with the terminal label I2 at the upper end of the stack in the label holder II as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. In proper operative sequence the cam 50 by acting on the roller 49 will swing the lever 4'! downwardly and correspondingly move the piston rod 45 and cause its piston to develop suction within the cylinder 44 and consequently within the tubular member 36. Because each of the picker cups 40 and 42 engages a label I2, the suction produced by the piston in the cylinder 44 will be maintained. As the operation of the power shaft 29 continues, the picker mechanism will be actuated to cause the picker cup 40 to pick up the label I2 from the applicator 26 and the picker cup 42 to coincidentally pick up the terminal label I2 from the supply stack in the holder I I. As the rotation of the power shaft 29 proceeds, the picker mechanism carries over to deposit the label I2 picked up from the applicator 26 on the container or other article .A on the support I3, and to transfer the label I2 picked up from the supply stack to the applicator 26. The picker mechanism then moves toward the right to pick up another pair of labels and progress them, the applicator 26 meanwhile being rotated through by the action of the pin 3| carried by the wheel 28 on the slotted plate 33, to bring another face of the applicator 26 to its upper or adhesive applying position to receive another label I2. Thus a freshly immersed or adhesive applying surface of the adhesive applicator 26 is presented to each succeeding label I2. Also during the aforesaid movement of the picker mechanism to the right the presser member 69 will be operated as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to natal! press the previously deposited label l2 firmly against the container or other article A on the support l3.

Just before the picker cups 40 and 42 move from the dotted line position in Fig. 1 to the full line position in Fig. 2, the piston on the piston rod 45 will be drawn downwardly in the cylinder 44 to develop suction at the picker cups 40 and 42 whereby the labels [2 are retained therein. As soon as the picker cups 40 and 42 reach the position shown in Fig. 2, the cam 50 controlling the operation of the piston in the cylinder 44 will cause the piston to be pushed up sharply at least at the beginning of its upward stroke, to suddenly relieve suction on the labels l2 so that they will be deposited by the picker cups 40 and 42. This sudden relief of the suction on the labels l2 or in other words the sudden change from negative to positive pressure in the pick up means insures efficient deposit of the label on the article A, and also avoids the possibility of disturbing the position of the label after it has been de posited on the applicator 26.

As has been pointed out hereinbefore, the adhesive applicator 26 is provided with a plurality of concave or inwardly directed adhesive applying surfaces each of which assumes a periodically stationary applying position during an operative period of the machine. During the intermittent rest periods of said applicator 26. labels l2 are deposited on said applying surfaces and because of the concave or equivalent form of the latter are correspondingly positioned thereon. In other words, the deposited labels l2 assume the shape of the applying surfaces of the applicator 26 and are thereby automatically prevented from becoming wrinkled or otherwise objectionably disarranged particularly on the adhesive receiving surfaces. At the same time any wrinkles or other undesirable irregularities present in the labels l2 are removed therefrom by reason of the curved or equivalent form assumed by the labels when deposited upon said adhesive apply ing surfaces of said applicator 26. The application of adhesive to said labels I2 is thus accomplished in a uniform and efficient manner which result is further guaranteed because of the fact that the concave or equivalent applying surfaces of the applicator 26 are stationary during the operation of applying the adhesive. With the specific form of applicator 26 which is made up of a plurality of spaced plates or plate like elements which are relatively thin, the labels i2 deposited upon said applying surfaces come into contact only with the adhesive which is on the edges of said plates. As a result a plurality of lines of adhesive are deposited across the back of each label 12 in spaced relation to each other, so that when a label 12 is deposited on an article A and pressed therein at the label applying station, said label will be adhesively connected with said article A by a plurality of lines of adhesive. Since the latter are spaced from each other, the presser member 60 will squeeze most if not all of the air from beneath the labels along the spaces between said lines of adhesive; the aforesaid air can readily escape because the lines of adhesive do not intersect and because the spaces therebetween extend to the edges of the labels. The movement of the air between the lines of adhesive, plus the fact that generally a very slight amount of air may remain in said spaces, insure a rapid setting of the adhesive. The applicator 26 guarantees a uniform supply of adhesive to each label l2 and uniform distribution of adhesive on the back thereof. When the label is picked up from the illustrated form of the applicator 26, the surface tension of the liquid adhesive will cause the lines of adhesive to form very slight ridges of adhesive on the surface of said label and when the latter is pressed upon the article A these slight ridges of adhesive will spread laterally into the spaces between said lines. The amount of space between adjacent lines of adhesive may be determined by the spacing of the applicator plates. As the applicator 26 shown in the drawings is intermittently actuated, for instance, in successive steps of each, the stationary plates I9 will efiiciently remove adhesive from between the applicator plates and from the surfaces thereof so that only the edges of the applicator plates retain adhesive for transfer to the surfaces of the labels I2 as the latter are positioned upon said applicator 26. In this way the efliciency of the adhesive application is still further increased and at the same time the applicator 26 itself is maintained in a condition of maximum serviceability.

Although the adhesive applying means is illustrated as embodied in a labeling machine, such as described in the aforesaid parent application, it is obvious that this does not define the limits of utility of said adhesive applying means which may be readily incorporated in other forms of labeling machines as well as in machines of other types.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of r the invention.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine and the like, the combination of automatically operated means, means for applying adhesive to labels comprising a plurality of spaced thin edged elements movable by said automatically operated means to a stationary operative position, means for carrying a label into contact with the edges of said elements in said stationary operative position, and means for supplying adhesive to said edges whereby contact of a label with said stationary edges will cause the deposit of relatively narrow lines of adhesive to said label.

2. The structure in claim 1 and said relatively thin edged elements being positioned in such relation to each other that lines of adhesive deposited upon said labels will not intersect.

3. The structure in claim 1 and means for remg ingexcess adhesive from said elements prior to the contact ofaTlalaeFwitlrsaid elefiiefit.

4. In a labeling machine and the like, movable means for applying adhesive to labels comprising a plurality of spaced thin elements, said elements being relatively closely positioned, the edges of said elements each having at least one distinct adhesive applying section movable to a temporary stationary operative position and adapted in said stationary operative position to contact a label brought into association therewith, means for applying adhesive to said edges whereby contact of a label with the adhesive applying sections of said edges in said stationary operative position will cause the deposit of adhesive uniformly upon said label at a plurality of points throughout the body of said label, and means for removing excess adhesive from said elements prior to the contact of a label with said elements.

5. The structure in claim 4 and said excess adhesive removal means comprising a plurality of thin elements adapted to lie between the thin edged elements of said adhesive applying means to produce a wiping action as said adhesive applying sections are moved to said stationary operative position for the removal of excess adhesive from between the elements of said applying means.

6. In a labeling machine and the like, an adhesive applicator having a concave label receiving recess, and means for providing said recess with a surface coating of adhesive adapted for transfer to a surface of a label received in said recess and contacting the surface thereof, said concave reces acting to flex said label to insure said contact and a proper transfer of adhesive thereto.

7. In an adhesive applying means, an adhesive applicator having a plurality of concave label contacting surfaces registering with each other to form a concave label receiving recess arranged to occupy an operative position for receiving and contacting a label, and means for providing each of said concave surfaces with a coating of adhesive for transfer to the label in said recess and together flexing said label to smooth the adhesive receiving surface thereof.

8. In an adhesive applying means, a movable adhesive applicator having a plurality of concave label contacting surfaces registering with each other to form a concave label receiving recess, means for providing said concave label contacting surfaces with a coating of adhesive, and means for operating said applicator to adjust said concave recess to a temporarily stationary operative position for the reception of a label wherein each of said concave label contacting surfaces transfers adhesive to the contacting surface of said label, said concave recess flexing said label to smooth the adhesive receiving surface thereof.

9. In a labeling machine and the like, a rotatable adhesive applicator having a plurality of concave label contacting surfaces arranged to receive and retain a supply of adhesive thereon, and means for intermittently rotating said applicator to adjust said concave surfaces individually to a periodically stationary operative position, said concave surfaces when stationary in said operative position being arranged to transfer adhesive therefrom to labels brought into contact therewith and flexing said labels to smooth the adhesive receiving surfaces thereof.

10. In an adhesive applying means, a container for adhesive, a shaft rotatively mounted in operative relation to said container, a plurality of polygonal plates mounted on said shaft in spaced surface parallelism and having peripheral edge sections registering with each other lengthwise of said shaft to constitute adhesive applying means movable through said adhesive, a plurality of stationary plates projecting into the spaces between said polygonal plates, and means for intermittently rotating said shaft to adjust the registering edge sections of said plates to a stationary adhesive applying position and to operate said polygonal plates relatively to said stationary plates whereby adhesive is removed from the spaces between said polygonal plates and the opposed surfaces thereof and adhesive is retained on the peripheral edge sections of said polygonal plates for application to labels and the like in said stationary applying position.

11. In an adhesive applying means, a container for adhesive, an adhesive applicator consisting of a plurality of spaced plates movable through said adhesive and provided with concaved edge sections forming the peripheries of said plates, the concave edge sections of said plates co-operating to form concave label receiving recesses, a plurality of stationary plates projecting into the spaces between said applicator plates, and means for operating said applicator relatively to said stationary plates in successive steps whereby said concave label receiving recesses are adjusted to a stationary operative position and adhesive is concurrently removed from the spaces between the applicator plates and the opposed surfaces thereof and adhesive is retained on said edge sections for application to labels and the like brought into contact therewith in said concave recesses while in said stationary operative position of said label contacting surfaces.

12. In a labeling machine and the like, a movable adhesive applicator having a plurality of adhesive applying surfaces in spaced relation to each other lengthwise of said applicator, means for operating said applicator to simultaneously adjust said adhesive applying surfaces to a common stationary operative position, and means for depositing labels and the like directly on said adhesive applying surfaces in the stationary operative position thereof whereby adhesive is transferred from all of said applying surfaces coincidentally to said labels and the like.

13. In a labeling machine and the like, a rotatable adhesive applicator having a plurality of concave adhesive applying surfaces in spaced relation to each other axially of said applicator, means for operating said applicator to simultaneously adjust said adhesive applying surfaces to a common stationary operative position, and mean for depositing labels and the like directly on said adhesive applying surfaces in said stationary operative position thereof whereby adhesive is transferred from all of said applying surfaces simultaneously to said labels and the like.

JOHN M. BROWN. 

